Today is the day, the last day to qualify to run!

Today is the day! Friday, March 6, 2009 is the final day for those desiring to qualify and to go through the election process to, if successful, serve their community by holding a municipal office. There is no better way to have an impact on the city and your fellow citizens than to serve.

With a large group of candidates currently and hopefully with more to come this afternoon, the citizens of New Albany, collectively, will be best served over these next weeks and months, by candidates who will respect their opponents, direct and organize their campaigns to address the issues of the day and not personalities. It is always better for all involved to remember that when all is said and done, when the primaries and general elections are finally over, we are still citizens of the same city and must work together to accomplish the goals established by our leaders.

An overview of currently qualified candidates will show you a group of people who seem to have the educational credentials and /or experience to be seeking the offices they have chosen as their goals. However, it is their performance as an elected official that really matters and close observation of their actions and close attention to what they say and sometimes do not say will aid voters in making up their minds.

It does not appear that anyone candidate currently qualified is facing a race that is, as one candidate reportedly called his race, “a piece of cake.” It does appear that all candidates can and will run effective and tough races for office. It does not appear that voters have already made up their minds. Candidates who think this is the case are wrong.

Today, Friday, March 6, 2009, the last day to qualify to run for the city offices of mayor, aldermen of all wards and/or police chief, can also be the beginning of a new beginning for the City of New Albany. Whether that is true or not will depend on the voters throughout the city.

If the voters are satisfied with the incumbent office holders, they will express their satisfaction by reelecting all of them. Should voters seek a change in leadership and direction for the city, they will express those desires by electing either some or all of the challengers for each of the positions in questions.

Either way, residents must exercise their right to vote and to get involved in the governing of their city. Each and every vote will make a huge difference in the outcome and the next four years for New Albany. Please vote!